The Heart of Voh is a natural clearing formed by mangroves. “Vook” in the local Kanak language is found on the west coast of Grande Terre, 300km from Nouméa, in New Caledonia. In
1999, the photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand made it the cover photo for
his book, Earth from Above, a UNESCO-sponsored inventory of the world’s
most beautiful landscapes.
1) SY GARGOLYE 4,000 nm, 30 DAYS DIRECT FROM COSTA RICA TO 🇵🇫 FRENCH POLYNESIA
Arrived in Huku Niva. 30 days! Thanks for all of the support and information, as always!
SY GARGOYLE🇺🇸 Kevin Carla & Ron – Beneteau 50′ arrived Sat Apr 02 2022 0800 Local Time
4,000
miles and 30 days later, we’re here. We dropped the hook at 0800 local
time and we are just adopting to the feeling of stillness. A lovely
island though a busy anchorage with a portion of the Oyster World Rally
at anchor as well as a large number of other cruising boats. And of
course a sign that civilization has returned post covid, a cruise ship
is in as well.
So
for now we’ll enjoy the calm of the anchorage and get some rest before
we head out to explore. With a chilled glass of champagne in our hands,
this is Gargoyle signing off for this passage.
Cheers,
Kevin, Carla and Ron
A FEW EXERTS FROM GARGOYLE’S SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE CROSSING LOG ENTRIES Under a Forever Sky
Sun Mar 20 2022
Tonight
we are once again motoring at our most fuel efficient rpm as we
continue to hunt for wind. Our forecast and weather router all told us
today we have wind that would allow us to sail in the general direction
of Nuka Hiva. Sadly all were wrong as our winds were 100° west northwest
of predicted. Not that big a deal really, if our destination was say,
Tokyo.
So
we spent the day sailing slowly in the wrong direction, all the while
hoping for a wind shift that never materialized. After dinner we tossed
that plan overboard with the leftovers and decided to again use our
precious remaining diesel to forge further southwest in hopes of finding
the elusive trade winds.
Now
we motor slowly under a spectacular sky awash in stars. The sky here is
different from anything I’ve seen elsewhere. Everything from the sheer
horizon to horizon span to the towering clouds to the brilliant
constellations seem to dwarf what we’re used to seeing. Add in the still
brilliant light of the waning moon on a calm sea and its pure magic.
I wait in this fairytale
setting for a wind to fill in from the east while the engine sips
gently and Gargoyle rumbles through the night, searching. The crew is
asleep. I am alone, waiting.
A Symphony at Sea
Wed Mar 16 2022
As we close our 2nd week at passage I wanted to invite you to join me at the helm
A
spectacular sunset has finally faded just off our starboard bow as we
make a course of 260°. The wind is ten to fifteen knots with gusts to
twenty and we are sailing downwind under a poled out Genoa at 145° apparent. Speed is consistently over five knots with surges to seven when the gusts kick things up.
Sitting
to starboard, having enjoyed the sun’s last display of color, the first
thing you notice is the rolling motion. As is their tendency, sailboats
will roll when generating power from a large sail poled out to one
side. To counteract the roll I have a small amount of mainsail rolled
out. Not enough to block or cover the front sail but enough to add a
touch of stability. Does it stop the roll, no. But as a friend just
pointed put, imagine beating into these same twenty knot gusts and the
roll becomes much more tolerable.
The
cockpit is lit in red from our instruments on the port and starboard
helms. In addition, both helms have compasses that glow red at night as
well. It’s time to log our hourly readings and I don my trusty headlamp
to light the log book and record our position, heading, speed, wind
single/speed and barometric pressure. I then walk the cockpit and spend a
few minutes scanning the horizon on all sides and to stern for shops
lights. Then a scan of our instruments for AIS targets or the sharp
silver line of a ship on radar. All clear as expected so far from land.
With
the hourly work completed its time to settle back and enjoy the
symphony of a sailing vessel running across the ocean at night. The air
is cool and the breeze over my left shoulder brings the low hum of our
hydrogenator at work punctuated every 12 to 18 seconds by the two meter
southerly swell slapping our ass with a gentle push before rolling under
our keel. The sea state remains a bit confused so I’m surrounded by the
sound of water but it’s a welcome sound reminding me of where am I am
in the moment.
The
genoa up front pulls us forward with only an occasional ripple as the
wind and roll get out of sync for a moment, then with a snap of dacron
the rhythm is back and we resume our graceful glide. There’s also the
accompanying creaks of taut sheets, topping lift and vang all adding
their own notes to this wonderful harmony.
I’m
often asked what music I listen to for different sea states and tonight
its Diana Krall and the lush sounds of Live in Paris. The moon is
nearly full and hangs ripe over our stern, lighting the sea and a
distant line of clouds that surround on all horizons. There’s always a
chance of a squall but that just changes the key of this magic ocean
symphony. Night watch on the Pacific. A study in sensory perfection.
Vanuatu will begin reopening its border starting next month.
The
Director-General of the Ministry of Health, Russell Tamata, said this
is possible because high vaccination rates have been achieved on Efate
and the outer islands.
Tamata also says hospitalization rates and deaths have remained low.
Vanuatu’s vaccination program, access to rapid testing, social distancing, and mask-wearing are paving a way forward.
From
May 1 to the end of June there will be a soft opening for over
5,000 Vanuatu nationals and residents who are stranded overseas to
return home.
Tamata
says reducing restrictions on travel to Vanuatu will provide a stimulus
for economic recovery and free up health resources to focus on
vaccination and future planning.07 April 2022 20,400 Moderna
COVID-19 vaccine arrive through COVAX for booster doses
Vanuatu welcomes the arrival of 20,400 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine supplied through the COVAX Facility .
This
is the first lot of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines received by the country.
Moderna would be the fourth vaccine to be used in Vanuatu, apart from
AstraZeneca, Sinopharm and the single-shot Johnson and Johnson (J&J)
vaccines.
Efate Island, Vanuatu
VANUATU IS IN GOOD NAUTICAL – 83 Islands and hundreds of anchorages
Gathering
intel and living aboard here in Vuda. Great owners and staff, you can
get just about anything you need done to your boat here, there’s a yacht
shop, cafe, mini market, and excellent restaurant.
Vuda Marina tucked in Cyclone Hole
Zazoo and Seaglub next to each other
Cyclone storage in the tire lined pits at Vuda Marina
So
after several days of being here in the Vuda Marina, getting to live a
little here, meet with the owner / operator and walk around to get a
good view of the place, I have a VERY HIGH opinion of this place for
storing your boat. I’ve included several pictures. There are 60 pits but
they go fast so call or email NOW to make a reservation. I only
see one open right now. Monohulls can also sit on jack stands and
catamarans sit comfortably almost directly on the ground then tied down
to buried cement blocks. The entrance is straight forward. I came in at
extreme low tide (5′ tide swing) during a new moon and had just 1 foot
beneath the keel but I probably could’ve timed it better. I draw just
over 6′ or 190cm. There’s a new basin being added with docks but you’ll
likely med moor to them with help from the staff. In the circle you will
definitely get help from the fantastic staff as they get you tied off.
The downside in the circle is getting on and off the boat requires a bit
of gymnastics. There’s a marine store, a cafe, market, and restaurant
as well bathrooms, showers, washing machines. 220 power is available, I
use a step down and works great. I believe power is available at some of
the pits as well.
SV SEAGLUB 🇺🇸 Chris – Hylas 46′
4) MARQUESAS, FRENCH POLYNESIA 🇵🇫 REPORT FROM SKY POND
The
unofficial flag of the Marquesas Islands was first raised on December
14, 1980, upon the opening of the airport on Nuku Hiva, and has been
regularly used since 1994. A simplified version, without the tiki
design, is sometimes flown.
All is well here.
Kevin,
the agent here on Nuku Hiva is excellent and we would recommend him to
everyone . He’s not only an agent, but a “fixer” ..meaning either
he will get what you need done or knows someone who can.
We three got our shell back tattoos in the style of French Polynesian tattoo designs.
We
have a great photo album documenting our trip, including the Pollywog
ceremony, but haven’t had the bandwidth to publish it publicly via
iCloud.
Setting
sail from Nuku Hiva tonight for one of the most southern Marquesses
islands then crossing to the Tuamotus a few days later.
Rainy season starts here in a month according to the locals.
I
also recommend provisioning dried eggs. It can be a week or more
between egg availability here. Eggs were a rare find the first
time we sailed south pac six years ago so this time I brought a big bag
of dried eggs. Glad I did. The main veggie market in Nuku
Hiva is pretty well stocked daily and what they don’t carry the 4
magazines do..but it requires diligence to find fruits and vegetables.
The
Oyster rally arrived this week. I spoke to the advance team and
they said that they all used the provisioning delivery service out of
Tahiti to get re provisioned. I don’t know how they delivered
those provisions to the island to coincide with the 34 boats’ arrivals.
Thanks for the email response. Hope all is going well for you.
Roxy
toasting the arrival in Nuku Hiva
SKY POND’S ENTRY INTO BOAT YOGA POSE
SKY POND’S 3 ENTRIES GALLEY GOD(DESS) AWARD
SY SKY POND 🇨🇰 Carl & Roxy – Seawind 1160 38′
5) GOOD NAUTICAL NEEDS YOU 🇹🇴
Over the last 12 years we have added over 7,000
anchorages into Good Nautical – and are looking to enhance this
information with first hand accounts from you – please add pictures,
details and updates as you see them.
Tonga 🇹🇴 is in there and most important we will collect and display tracks. Including the infamous Niuatoputapu reef
passage. To safeguard them for those who will attempt them after you
please email your tracks ( any format ) to
registration@pacificposse.com
Anchorage @ Niuatoputapu 15° 56.436 S 173° 46.077 W
The snaking path to go through the reef in Niuatoputapu, Tonga 🇹🇴
Levuka is a town on the eastern coast of the Fijian island of Ovalau. Up until 1877, it was the capital of Fiji.
Currently
this strangly haunted town has a population of about 5,000. It is the
economic hub and the largest of 24 settlements on the island.
Levuka was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in June 2013,
in recognition of the port town’s exceptional testimony to the late
colonial port towns in the Pacific
The
modern town of Levuka was founded around 1820 by European settlers and
traders as the first modern town in the Fiji Islands, and became an
important port and trading post. A disparate band of settlers made up
Levuka’s population – traders, missionaries, shipwrights, speculators,
and vagabonds, as well as respectable businessmen
Much of Levuka’s unique heritage is in its wooden architecture (highly vulnerable to fire).
The South Pacific’s first Masonic Lodge is Levuka’s only Romanesque building.
It was built in 1913 and housed the Freemasons that were established in Levuka by Alexander Barrack in 1875.
There
is much controversy about the Masonic fraternity in Fiji, the dominant
traditional Christian faiths consider Masons to be
devil-worshipers.
The Lodge contained priceless historical artifacts and records of Levuka’s history dating back to 1875.
The arsonists have yet to be identified and prosecuted.
A stunning anchorage behind the reef
Admiralty Chart No 905 Suva Harbour to Levuka, Published 1960 Nautical
chart of Suva Harbour to Levuka, Fiji Islands. From surveys by Captain
H.M. Denham 1855-6; Lieutenants L.S. Dawson and W.U. Moore 1875-7;
Lieutenant G.E. Richards 1881-2; and by Comdr. J.S.N. Pryor, 1959. Not current – not to be used for navigation!
12) TRACKING THE 22′ PACIFIC POSSE FLEET BROUGHT TO YOU BY PREDICT WIND
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email: kris@sevenstar-usa.com
web: sevenstar-usa.com
14) PANAMA CANAL AGENT CENTENARIO CONSULTING ERICK GALVEZ
To
arrange for transit with the Panama Canal Authority please contact Eric
Galvez our dedicated Panama Canal agent and sponsor of the Panama Posse
and the Pacific Posse
